How is this possible?

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  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    Hm... a few thoughts...

    Do you portion out your food? If not, even with healthier choices, you could still be overeating and getting too many calories.

    Have you just started to work out? Whenever one begins or changes a workout routine, some water retention is bound to occur because it's part of the natural healing process within our muscles.

    What have you replaced your soda with? If you're drinking any bottled waters, some can have as much sodium as soda and therefore the change may not be as great (due to water retention), even with the reduction of calorie intake.

    It's tough because I get the point of not wanting to track if you're going to be obsessive. What if you just wrote down your food somewhere so that you're conscious of just how much you eat but aren't faced with the calories? Or up your calorie allowance so even if you go over a bit it won't go into the red and freak you out?
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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  • srcardinal10
    srcardinal10 Posts: 387 Member
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    I'm having one of those moments myself. Three weeks of solid exercising and eating properly and nothing

    BUT

    What keeps me going? The end goal. People don't gain weight over night thus you can't lose it over night. As a woman (especially) weight fluctuates during different parts of the menstruation cycle. I can be up to 5lbs heavier during the week of my period (I have to watch it on the sodium)!

    There are diet factors that you have to take into account. How much water are you drinking? What's your sodium intake? What cardio do you do, and how long? Are you strength training a few times a week?

    There are small things that also add up: walk more often, park a little further away, carry items in the store instead of using a cart, stand/sit-up straight.

    Suggestions:
    1) Track consistently and give it time. Patience is a virtue (one that most of us don't have) and it's key. Don't get discouraged.
    2) Use pinterest to find healthy recipes, exercises, and healthy tips.
    3) Remember that you are doing this to be healthy, not skinny. Healthy is sexy! :)
    4) Find friends to exercise with/that support healthy habits.
    5) Try using MeetUp to find people in your area if you'd like to get a new circle of people to help change your lifestyle
    6) This is a LIFESTYLE change...not a diet.
    7) Own who you are and remember that you are lovely and unique. :smile:
    8) Sign up for a (training) group for a race of some sort...a 5K, 10K, swimming, dancing...find what you like and make it fun!


    Check out this article: 25 Reasons You Are Not Losing Weight
    http://www.fitsugar.com/Reasons-You-Losing-Weight-24882317?slide=18

    And feel free to add me anyone! :) I could use all the motivation I can get.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
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    Yoovie beat me to it damn
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
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    The other half that you are not tracking is the reason. You would be surprised how easy it is to be over on calories when you don't track. You can gain weight even when eating super health, the only time you won't is when you are spending more calories than you are eating.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    I am sooo discouraged! I have not been (admittedly) very strict about MFP, but my diet has improved, I am eating out less and drinking a LOT less soda. I have also been exercising a couple of times a week. I'm about half time keeping track on MFP, maybe a little less.

    And yet, I have not lost anything, in fact this morning I was UP (again!). I am soo discouraged--I know i need to be more strict about MFP and such, but when I am very strict I start to have huge guilt feelings whenever I go over my calorie limit, even by a little bit. I haven't recorded every day, either, but I have definitely been trying to eat out less and drink less soda and juice. My fridge and cupboard are filled with healthy foods....

    *sigh.......can anyone help? I know what I need to do, but I think I just need to hear that I won't keep GAINING weight if I stick with this and get better about tracking.
    I think you've answered your own question. Just because you've reduced calorie intake doesn't mean you've lowered it enough to stop gaining. You just will gain more slowly. That's why tracking is important.
  • torzorxx
    torzorxx Posts: 16 Member
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    You can do this. I am not an expert and just been at this about a month and half or so, but, I think tracking everything you eat definitely helps. Sometimes even if you think you are doing well by being picky with what you eat you can easily be surprised by how many calories you are consuming. Also, don't let this discourage you. Let it light your fire and make you work even harder in the end it will be worth it.

    I went out to a restaurant with friends this weekend and though I did pretty well, just a couple slices of pizza, a little sample here and there from the sampler platter and thinking I did pretty well but when I got home and put the food I ate into MFP it was all about 1200 calories.

    Tracking is definitely worth it. Even if you make a mistake and go over the calories for that particular day or meal you learn a lesson and learn how to make better decisions in the future.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    You know the answer, you're being your own worst enemy. How can you feel encouraged when you're not applying yourself. It sounds to me like you don't actually what to make a long term change, but instead want to have another reason not to keep trying. If you apply yourself and try and then fail THEN you can at least say you tried, but as it stands you can't even say that. Sometimes we totally defeat ourselves by not even trying. The fear of failure is so great that we let it win from the get go. Give yourself a chance to succeed.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    Yoovie beat me to it damn

    :heart:
  • opaquewhite
    opaquewhite Posts: 58 Member
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    I hear you! I've been here since January, in the same boat as you, and haven't lost anything. Really defeating. :-(
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Has any child in the history of mankind every learned to walk without falling down? No.

    We learn from our mistakes. You've made some mistakes. Learn from them.

    Log it everything. Once you get a feel for it, you can skip a day here or there, but for now, log everything. And track your progress through more than just the scale. Go by measurements, how clothes fit and photos, as well as fitness goals, like improving your running or being able to lift heavier.

    When you have an increase on the scale, look at what other factors might be contributing. High on sodium? I can "gain" as much as 8 pounds overnight with a high sodium day. Exercise can also contribute to fluid retention and might temporarily mask weight loss. Hormones, too. But you can't get the full picture unless you're logging everything.
  • bpwparents
    bpwparents Posts: 359 Member
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    Track is all I can say. I didn't realize how poorly I was eating until I started tracking every single day. The little things you may have during the day add up. Even if you go over, you still need to track. It will help you realize what is making you go over. Also, are you watching sodium intake? I started tracking my sodium too and that helped me lose. I personally drink mostly water & tea as I don't want to waste my food calories on beverages. Good luck!
  • bexxgirl
    bexxgirl Posts: 260 Member
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    Track is all I can say. I didn't realize how poorly I was eating until I started tracking every single day. The little things you may have during the day add up. Even if you go over, you still need to track. It will help you realize what is making you go over. Also, are you watching sodium intake? I started tracking my sodium too and that helped me lose. I personally drink mostly water & tea as I don't want to waste my food calories on beverages. Good luck!

    THIS - the tiniest bites of this or that can easily add up. Especially if you're popping things in your mouth while cooking - even a few peanuts before throwing them in a stirfry can quickly become an extra 100 cals. Make sure you log EVERYTHING - then you might reconsider any little bits here and there.

    One great thing I read on these boards once: "If it's not worth logging, it's not worth putting in your mouth."
  • PrettyGirlPayton
    PrettyGirlPayton Posts: 93 Member
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    Yeah. I am seeing that you have to track. I stopped for two weeks and gained seven pounds. It will take me three months to lose that much just about. So I have to start tracking. If I do that and exercise I won't gain. Even if I don't lose as fast as I think I should. You have to remember that you are getting rid of years of build up. It takes time.
  • caitlyn30
    caitlyn30 Posts: 207 Member
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    daily tracking - and , I can't see your diary, but, make sure you have sodium listed - and try to stay away from fast food - thats all sodium.

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